"Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth." Colossians 3:5
What do you know about "suckers"? I am not speaking of fish, or of certain gullible folks who fall for every new scheme. I am speaking of suckers on a fruit tree which must be constantly pruned off if there is to be fruit. A few years ago I planted a pear tree. It was really two pear trees, for the root and lower stem was from a "seedling" which grew wild. The nursery man cut off the wild branches, and a branch from a tame tree was grafted or budded in. On this branch would grow good fruit, if we would only keep the "suckers" down. Suckers are sprouts or branches which grow below the graft, out of the old wild root, and have the wild nature. Failure to prune off the wild suckers prevents the strength of the tree from going into the tame, fruit-bearing branches. If there is to be fruit, the "suckers" must be constantly discouraged by cutting them off. Thus the same tree may bring forth two kinds of fruit, wild and tame, but the more the tree produces of one kind, the less there will be of the other.
We too are trees. By nature we are wild, due to our birth from father Adam. We begin with a natural, sinful nature. When we are born of the Spirit, a bud-graft of the divine life is introduced within us, enabling us to bring forth the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). But the old nature is still there, and if left without pruning will stunt the new growth and render it fruitless. This is the reason for the battle in the Christian life. The secret of victory is getting rid of the suckers - the works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). Watch the suckers today, brother, and "put off . . .the old man, which is corrupt . . . and put on the new man . . . created in . . . true holiness" (Ephesians 4:22,24). Crucify self! WATCH THOSE SUCKERS!
Lord, save me from my evil self,
To Thee for help I flee;
Teach me Thy perfect way to know
That I may life for Thee.
"Bread For Each Day"
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